Gravitational potential Definition and 389 Threads

In classical mechanics, the gravitational potential at a location is equal to the work (energy transferred) per unit mass that would be needed to move an object to that location from a fixed reference location. It is analogous to the electric potential with mass playing the role of charge. The reference location, where the potential is zero, is by convention infinitely far away from any mass, resulting in a negative potential at any finite distance.
In mathematics, the gravitational potential is also known as the Newtonian potential and is fundamental in the study of potential theory. It may also be used for solving the electrostatic and magnetostatic fields generated by uniformly charged or polarized ellipsoidal bodies.

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  1. J

    Gravitational Potential Energy

    Hi. I am a little confused about this: If I throw a stone straight upwards from the surface of the Earth, with the escape speed of 11,2 km/s, assuming that no air or other particles gets in the way, and waited for a very, very long time, the velocity of my stone (and the Earth in the...
  2. J

    Where does the loss of gravitational potential energy goes?

    Hi. Imagine a closed physical system (a universe) with only one star like our Sun, and one planet like our Earth, but so far away from each other, that the gravity from both matters only has a very small effect on each other. There is a (almost maximum) gravitational potential energy...
  3. H

    Gravitational potential energy and attraction

    Gravitational potential energy usually arises due to the force of attraction experienced by a body. When a small body is placed between to massive bodies (not of equal masses) it is attracted by both. So when we consider the small body’s gravitational potential energy should we take the sum of...
  4. D

    Gravitational Potential Energy and Work Relationships

    Homework Statement when doing work on something how does work relate to the gravitational potential energy that it acquires? Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution
  5. J

    Inertia, Gravitational Potential Energy

    Homework Statement A meter stick with a mass of .160kg is pivoted about one end so it can rotate without friction about a horizontal axis. The meter stick is held in a horizontal position and released. As it swings through the vertical, calculate (a) the change in gravitational potential...
  6. F

    Gravitational Potential Energy of a rope

    The problem states that: "Bruce stands on a bank beside a pond, grasps the end of a 10.0m long rope attached to a nearby tree and swings out to drop into the water. If the rope starts at an angle of 35 degrees with the vertical, what is Bruce's speed at the bottom of the swing? Variables...
  7. X

    Effect of gravitational potential on energy

    Consider a system containing multiple massive objects, where the field is weak everywhere and velocities are non-relativistic. In a linearized GR approximation (as for example described in Wald "General Relativity" section 4.4) described relative to a flat background coordinate system, we find...
  8. P

    Gravitational Potential Energy of a tower

    E=mgh how to find the gravitational potential energy if the mass is not given only height is given E.G A man decides to cimb an office tower. If the floors are 3.8 m apart, how much gravitational potential energy would the man have relative to the ground floor if he made it to 5th floor??
  9. A

    What is the gravitational potential energy of a satellite in a circular orbit?

    Homework Statement i have to determine the potential energy of a satellite around a circular orbit and i have been given the radius of the circular orbit is 3Re and mass of a satellite of 5.00*10^2 -- ONLY Homework Equations so can use the Gmm/r... and subsitute the mass of the...
  10. K

    Gravitational potential energy of skier

    Homework Statement A 78.9-kg skier rides a 3150-m-long lift to the top of a mountain. The lift makes an angle of 11.9 ° with the horizontal. What is the change in the skier's gravitational potential energy? Homework Equations W=mgcos\theta(ho-hf) The Attempt at a Solution...
  11. B

    What Is Gravitational Potential Energy?

    [SOLVED] Gravitational potential energy edit: solved
  12. T

    Gravitational potential energy problem

    The gravitational potential energy W of a self-gravitating sphere of mass M and radius R depends on the detailed distribution of mass within the sphere, but it is generally of order of magnitude -GM^2/R. For the Sun, W_sun = -2G(M_sun)^2/R. What is the timescale t = -(1/2)(W_sun)/(L_sun) over...
  13. P

    Gravitational potential energy challenge

    ok I am in high school and have a physics challenge, its a device that transports a mass of 305 grams (Tomato soup can), a distance of 4 meters. no chemical, elastic, spring, electrical or magnetic energy can be used - the only energy source for propelling the device will come from the...
  14. P

    Gravitational potential energy challenge

    ok I am in high school and have a physics challenge, its a device that transports a mass of 305 grams (Tomato soup can), a distance of 4 meters. no chemical, elastic, spring, electrical or magnetic energy can be used - the only energy source for propelling the device will come from the...
  15. P

    Gravitational potential energy of ball

    Homework Statement A 7.26 kg ball hangs from end of 2.5 m rope. The ball is pulled back until rope makes 45 degree angle with vertical. What is the gravitation potential energy? Homework Equations ug=mgh The Attempt at a Solution I thought I would just multiply mass times gravity...
  16. H

    Gravitational potential energy

    if we think the height of a matter reaches over the radius of the Earth how will the potential energy of it change? when height of it approaches infinite from zero how will be the graph of gravitational potential energy-height? thank you
  17. D

    Gravitational potential and equilibrium of a thin ring

    Homework Statement Consider a thin ring of radius a and mass M. A mass m is placed in the plane of the ring (not in the center!). Determine the gravitational potential for r < a. Find a position of equilibrium and determine whether it is stable or unstable. (Hint: Consider a small...
  18. B

    Gravitational Potential Energy Problem

    [SOLVED] Gravitational Potential Energy Problem Homework Statement Suppose that the moon were at rest at its present distance from the earth, rather than orbiting it. With what speed would it strike the earth? (Take the Earth to be infinitely massive relative to the moon) Homework...
  19. R

    Gravitational potential energy homework

    A 65 kg diver is standing on a diving platform 10.0 m above the water. What is the gravitational potential energy of the diver with respect to the water’s surface? I know this one,,, Ep = mgh e= 65*10* 9.8 = 6370 Joules or 6.37 kilojoules If the diver in question 6 falls from the...
  20. A

    How High Can a Projectile Go When Launched at 10 km/s?

    Gravitational potential energy. Please help! Homework Statement A projectile is launched from Earth's surface at a speed of 10 km/s. Find the maximum height it reaches. Homework Equations change in U = -change in K U = -GM/r The Attempt at a Solution GMm/r = 1/2mv^2...
  21. S

    Constructing a Joule Car: Utilizing Gravitational Potential Energy

    Hey guys, I am involved in a competition where my objective is to build a Joule Car: Can anyone please give me ideas of how I can use gravitational potential energy to build it? Here are the actual directions: http://www.mrmaloney.com/nssl/events/2007-2008/0708_3-dec-joule-car.pdf Your help...
  22. J

    Why is the answer to gravitational potential energy question C?

    The answer is c, but I can't figure out what is the reason, can somebody kindly explain it? http://tinyurl.com/32322t
  23. B

    Gravitational Potential Energy of an elevator

    [SOLVED] Gravitational Potential Energy Homework Statement Calculate the change in potential energy of a 77.2-kg man when he takes an elevator from the first floor to 24th floor, if the distance between floors is 4.05 m. Homework Equations Ug = mgy The Attempt at a Solution Ug =...
  24. P

    What is the gravitational potential energy of the obectj

    hi, please help me figure these problems out. much appreciated. 1. an object of mass .7kg is thrown vertically upwards at a speed of 29 m/s. What is the gravitational potential energy of the obect at the highest point of its trajectory? 2. an object of mass 8.9kg moves with initial speed...
  25. A

    Gravitational potential energy of baseball

    Homework Statement A baseball is thrown from the roof of a 22.0-m-tall building with an inital velocty of magnitude 12.0 m/s and directed at an angle of 53.1 degrees above the horizontal. a) What is the speed o fthe ball just before it strikes the ground? Use energy conservation and ignore...
  26. O

    Change in gravitational Potential energy

    Homework Statement Ok, I am deriving the change in gravitational potential energy at the surface of the Earth and have met with some difficulties. Homework Equations g=GM/r^2 P.E.=-GMm/r The Attempt at a Solution \delta P.E. = -GMm/r_f+GMm/r_i Where r_f > r_i Since...
  27. E

    Gravitational Potential Energy of a bag

    Homework Statement A mail bag with a mass 120kg is suspended by a vertical rope 8.0m long. a.) What horizontal force is necessary to hold the bag in a position displaced sideways 4.0m from its initial position? b.) How much work is done by the worker in moving the bag to this position...
  28. Z

    Gravitational potential energy - problem

    Hello. I'm new. I was looking around on the web a bit to find an answer to my problem, and I came across these forums. Gravitational force = -GMm/(r^2) Gravitational force between a small mass (m) and the Earth (M) is zero at a distance of infinity. Any distance smaller than infinity gives...
  29. A

    Calculating the Gravitational Potential of a Spehrical Shell

    I'm going through The Feynman Lectures On Physics. I've taken a few classical physics classes before, however Feynman's detailed explanations are much better than anything I've gotten from my teachers. However, I'm having a little difficulty following the mathematics when he tries to show that a...
  30. N

    Another Gravitational potential energy problem

    Homework Statement Two Jupiter-size planets are released from rest 1.30×10^11 m apart. What are their speeds as they crash together? Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution I have done K_f + U_f = K_i + U_i with K_i being zero because they have crashed together so... K_f + U_f = U_i...
  31. N

    Gravitational Potential Energy question

    Homework Statement A binary star system has two stars, each with the same mass as our sun, separated by 1.00×10^12 m. A comet is very far away and essentially at rest. Slowly but surely, gravity pulls the comet toward the stars. Suppose the comet travels along a straight line that passes...
  32. K

    Rocket and Gravitational Potential Energy

    Homework Statement a rocket of mass 1.5e6 kg is launched upward from the surface of the Earth (mass Me =5.97e24, radius Re = 6.38 X 10^6m) with a speed of 0.5 x 10^4 m/s. What is the maximum altitude the rocket will reach above the surface of the Earth? Homework Equations 1/2 mv1^2 -...
  33. S

    Elastic Gravitational Potential ENergy

    1. A spring is suspended froma ceiling and a 256 g mass is attached to it and pulled down to stretch the spring by 18.2 cm. THe mass is released and travels through the equilibrium position with a speed of 0.746 m/s. Calculate the force constant of the spring/ 2. 1/2kx^2 = Ee 1/2mv^2 =...
  34. T

    Understanding Physics: Gravitational Potential Energy

    Homework Statement http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/795/untitledpw7.jpg The Attempt at a Solution I know Ug stands for the gravitational potential energy, but I'm not sure what Us and Uint stands for. At initial stage 1, I know the ball has kinetic energy and also has had work...
  35. D

    The Calculated Value of the Fine Structure Constant From Gravitational Potential

    This paper conjectures a relation between the gravitational potential and the value of the Fine Structure Constant. Although a key constant in all electromagnetic quantum and quantum field theories, accept for some numerology manipulations, the value of the Fine Structure Constant is not...
  36. K

    How Does Gravitational Potential Influence Kinetic Energy in Satellite Launches?

    There is a graph saying that at r=1.0 is the center of the moon.. A satellite of mass 1500 kg is launched from the surface of the planet. Determine the minimum kinetic energy at launch the satellite must have so that it can reach the surface of the moon. The surface of the moon is r=...
  37. rootX

    A GRAVITATIONAL POTENTIAL ENERGY questions

    Homework Statement determine the amount of work required to move a satellite from orbital radius of 2r_e (twice the radius of the earth) to 3r_e, if it has a mass of 500 kg? Homework Equations Find change in Gravitation potential energy and also the change in the kinetic energy The...
  38. D

    Gravitational potential energy storage - seeking comments

    I have an idea I would like to analyze but I'm practically ignorant of physics and engineering so I'm hoping you folks can give me some informative feedback. First, something tells me this idea is ridiculously uneconomical and/or impractical, but I'm still curious to find out and it will be a...
  39. Jonathan Scott

    Effect of gravitational potential on energy

    In a previous thread, I described a "double potential energy paradox". I allowed the discussions to stray off topic (resulting in locking of the thread), and I also thought someone had found a promising way to resolve the paradox. However, the main point was actually left unresolved, and I'm...
  40. A

    Newton's Law of Gravitation vs. Gravitational Potential Energy

    I'm confused about the two equations: PE_{G}=G\frac{m1*m2}{r} PE_{G}=mgh When do you use either of these equations? Can these two equations be used interchangeably or not? Also, I think I remember reading somewhere that you need to use the 1st equation when the problem involves large...
  41. D

    Mistake in proof of gravitational potential equation?

    mistake in proof of gravitational potential equation? Hi, I have a problem in deriving an equation for the gravitational potential. Well, I think that the graviational potential is the work done by external forces in moving a unit mass Mp from infinity to that point through distance d, and...
  42. R

    Why gravitational potential energy is negative?

    why gravitational potential energy is negative?
  43. I

    Finding Escape Velocity from a Gravitational Potential Energy Surface

    Homework Statement By considering the gravitational potential energy of an object at the surface , find an expression for the escape speed from the surface and determine its value. Homework Equations GPE= mgh The Attempt at a Solution KE= 1/2* m * v^2 GPE= mgh GPE+ KE = 0...
  44. M

    Gravitational potential energy and Kinetic Energy

    Pe = Potential energy Ke = kinetic energy i want to clear up some confusion in me... firstly...it is true to say that potential energy transforms into kinetic energy as an object...correct? then the definition of an ORBIT is constantly falling around a planet, non-stop... therefore...
  45. M

    Escape velocity and gravitational potential energy

    Hi guys...something does not seem right in physics... escape velocity is defined as the initial velocity required by a projectile to rise vertically and just escape the gravitational field of a planet and gravitational potential energy = 0 only at infinity displacement from planet (i.e...
  46. A

    Gravitational potential energy-help

    hi, I came across a question in my physics textbook that I didn't get, so I was hoping that you guys could help me out a bit. :smile: Here's the question. It's about gravitational potential energy, by the way. ** On your desk you have N identical coins, each with a mass m. You stack the...
  47. I

    Gravitational potential energy on top of apartment building

    Homework Statement My question is, if your at the top of an apartment building, maybe the 10th floor, and you have a cup of water in your hand or on the table. Does the water have a higher gravitational potential energy than a cup of water at ground level? Homework Equations The...
  48. B

    Gravitational Potential Enery Problem

    Gravitational Potential Energy Problem I have this problem and it has been bugging me The problem (if i recall correctly) went like this: Ive got an Earth like object ( m = 6E24 kg) that will fall 1 A.U = 1.5E11 m towards a neutron star with a radius of 1E4 m. At this point it will...
  49. D

    Gravitational potential energy of tarzan

    Homework Statement Tarzan, in one tree, sights Jane in another tree. He grabs the end of a vine with length 20 m that makes an angle of 45 degrees with the vertical, steps off his tree limb, and swings down and then up to Jane's open arms. When he arrives, his vine makes an angle of 30...
  50. Jonathan Scott

    Double gravitational potential energy paradox

    I've recently noticed a very simple paradox in semi-Newtonian gravity which seems to say that there must be some rest energy in the field. However, this obviously conflicts with the GR position. I'm wondering if anyone can spare a moment to clarify the resolution of this paradox. In...
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